Urban walking tour company London Walks have revealed the most popular walks in the capital for tourists are Old Westminster, Disastrous London, Jack the Ripper, Little Venice and Old Hampstead Village.
The popularity of these walks suggests that tourists continue to be drawn to London for its history and intrigue but are also keen to explore lesser known areas of the capital. Owner of London Walks David Tucker commented:
“London is one of only four or five cities in the world that people return to again and again. They come back because London is inexhaustible. As evidenced by the most popular tours in London, tourists want to see London’s famous buildings and the locations frequented by characters through history, but they also want to uncover London’s villages.”
“Old Westminster takes in 1000 years of history and some of London’s iconic buildings like Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. Disastrous London trawls the scenes that are imprinted in history, from plague pits and Shakespeare’s pub to pre Great Fire of London structures, whilst Jack the Ripper is a grizzly look into the past of one of London’s most notorious figures.”
“The Little Venice walk takes in one of London’s prettiest and lesser known areas, a celebrity hotspot and home to tranquil canals and examples of Victorian architecture. Another celebrity hotspot is the Old Hampstead Village walk, in the ‘rooftop’ of London. This is my own personal favourite of all of our walks.”
London Walks have restarted over 40 walks in July in advance of the predicted staycation boom in the UK. The walking company halted their walking tours at the outset of the pandemic, offering virtual tours as an alternative, a service that they will continue for the foreseeable future.
Other walking tours back up and running include the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour with visits to Abbey Road and the world famous zebra crossing, 7 Deadly Sins, Gruesome London, Rock ‘n’ Roll London, Shakespeare’s and Dickens’ London, Darkest Victoria London, Crime and Punishment and Royal London.
A June 2020 YouGov survey placed the UK as the second most popular holiday destination for this year, with 16% of the population planning for a UK break, just behind Spain at 17%. The most popular number of holidays for Brits to take currently is 2-3 days.
David Tucker says this summer presents an unexpected opportunity for Brits to visit the capital:
“There aren’t going to be many overseas tourists in London this year. This has all kinds of positives for British tourists. London is calmer this summer, there are no crowds. There will never be another opportunity to see the capital like this.”
“Even though walks are outside, we’ve still adapted our walks to make them safer during the pandemic era. We’re cashless, guides avoid closed spaces, social distance is maintained and guides are masked too.”
London Walks has an impressive roster of guides that includes a barrister, a crime historian, a geologist, an archaeologist, Royal Shakespeare Company actors and former journalist Adam Scott-Goulding, who suggests that a walking tour is a family friendly educational experience:
“A walking tour is a unique opportunity for a fully integrated 360° family experience. The school curriculum in this country has undergone radical change in recent years. In history, British history takes precedence. Nineteenth century British literacy is king in the English class. What better way to combine the two than with a Jack the Ripper tour, or Darkest Victorian London, or Dickens. This is particularly important given how much school time the kids have lost over the last four months.”
“Many London Walks guides are not only academics and excellent storytellers – they are parents, too. They know exactly how to pitch a perfect family learning experience without it feeling like homework.”
London Walks taking place in August 2020
Old Westminster, runs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2pm, Saturdays at 10am and Sundays at 2.30pm through August and beyond. £15 per person, £10 concessions.
Disastrous London, runs Saturdays at 2pm through August and beyond. £15 per person, £10 concessions.
Jack the Ripper, runs every evening at 7.30pm, except Saturday which is at 3pm, through August and beyond. £15 per person, £10 concessions.
Little Venice, runs Wednesdays at 11am and Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm through August and beyond. £15 per person, £10 concessions.
Old Hampstead Village, runs Wednesdays at 2pm and Sundays at 11am through August and beyond. £15 per person, £10 concessions.
